Light color temperature on stress, anxiety and well-being in high-risk pregnant women during the non-stress test: a randomized controlled trial

Overview

High-risk pregnant women frequently experience elevated stress and anxiety during fetal health assessment procedures, particularly non-stress tests. This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether adjusting light color temperature to medium-warm white during the NST procedure would reduce stress and anxiety while enhancing psychological well-being in this population. The study enrolled 100 high-risk pregnant women and employed validated psychometric instruments to measure outcomes.

Methods and approach

The study design was a randomized controlled experimental trial with two groups: intervention and control. The intervention group underwent NST procedures in environments with light color temperature adjusted to medium-warm white, while the control group received standard care. Data collection instruments included a Personal Information Form, the Psychological Well-Being Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Perceived Stress Scale, administered both before and after the NST procedure. The trial was prospectively registered.

Key Findings

The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in perceived stress (pre: 32.16±5.75 versus post: 27.12±6.65) and state-trait anxiety (pre: 58.62±1.30 versus post: 51.60±3.11), with concurrent improvements in psychological well-being (pre: 26.78±2.13 versus post: 28.46±3.11), all at p<0.05. The control group exhibited statistically significant changes in state-trait anxiety and psychological well-being measures, though the magnitude of change in psychological well-being was minimal and the anxiety change was not clinically favorable. No significant change in perceived stress was observed in the control group.

Implications

Light color temperature modification represents a non-pharmacological environmental intervention with potential efficacy in ameliorating psychological distress during obstetric procedures in high-risk populations. The differential response between groups suggests that environmental light characteristics may modulate stress physiology and subjective well-being during vulnerable clinical encounters. The minimal or unfavorable changes observed in the control group indicate that standard NST conditions do not naturally produce improvements in measured psychological outcomes.